BBC Scotland Management Review 2014/15 Management Review 2014/15 – Scotland As part of our Referendum coverage, we brought 7,500 first-time voters together for the first time at the SSE Hydro to take part in The Big Big Debate, broadcast on BBC One Scotland, BBC News Channel and BBC Parliament. If you wish to find out more about the BBC’s year – including full financial statements and each service’s performance against its Statement of Programme Policy – then please visit bbc.co.uk/annualreport Contents Front cover 01 Director’s Introduction River City’s Molly O’Hara (Una McLean) 02 Two Minute Summary welcomed Commonwealth Games mascot, 04 Service Performance Clyde, to Shieldinch. Clyde was officially 16 Key priorities for next year unveiled as the Games mascot at a launch 17 Contacts event in BBC Scotland’s Pacific Quay 18 BBC Scotland Management headquarters in 2012. Management Review 2014/15 – Scotland Management Review 2014/15 – Scotland Director’s overview ‘‘ …the review of the BBC’s Royal Charter will provide another opportunity for us to reflect on what we have so far achieved – and where we need to change and adapt to meet the future needs of our audiences.’’ Last year was one which will live long in the collective memory It was year when not only did Scotland look forward but also of Scotland. looked back, to reflect on the events of a century ago and the terrible toll exacted on families and communities by the ravages It was a year in which the eyes of the world were turned upon of the First World War. From live coverage of the moving us as the Commonwealth Games and the Independence Drumhead Ceremony in Edinburgh in August to documentaries Referendum captured the interest and imagination of audiences such as Pipers of the Trenches and Scotland’s War At Sea, our from across the globe. BBC Scotland provided comprehensive programmes told the tales of many of those who paid the ultimate coverage of both. price while serving their country. Collaboration, across the BBC, was crucial to the successful There were so many memorable programmes produced, for delivery of our Commonwealth Games output, as viewers and network TV – particularly by our Arts and Science teams – for listeners enjoyed hundreds of hours of live sports across radio and for audiences in Scotland that it would be difficult in television and radio, with extensive sport-by-sport and hour-by- these few short words to do justice to them all. However I would hour updates available online. From the construction of a specially like to note one or two – from the many – which received built pop-up presenting studio on the Clyde, to the sparkling particular industry acclaim: Ricky Ross collected the International success of the Radio 1 Big Weekend, to the tireless work of the Country Broadcaster Award for Another Country from the CMA BBC’s outside broadcast crews, across the city and beyond, it was in Nashville; nine year old Cherry Campbell became Britain’s a broadcast event that took ability, determination, perseverance youngest ever BAFTA winner for her role as Katie Morag; and – and a little bit of a helping hand from the sun – to help make it a Mrs Brown’s Boys received the UK National TV Award for Games that have since been acknowledged by many as the best Comedy for the third time in as many years. All very well merited ever staged. and indicative of the quality produced by all of our teams, across And just as sporting endeavour had gripped the nation during BBC Scotland. those 11 days in July and August, so too did the Independence Looking forward, the review of the BBC’s Royal Charter will Referendum in the weeks and months that led to 18 September. provide another opportunity for us to reflect on what we have so In my foreword to last year’s Annual Review, I said that our far achieved – and to look at where we need to change and adapt Referendum broadcast coverage would be authoritative, to meet the future needs of our audiences, who remain at the impartial and informed and I believe that we met each of those heart of all that we do. objectives, across all of our platforms and programmes. With a huge range of news and current affairs programmes delivered, complemented by debates and documentaries, we covered every twist and turn on the road to the vote. And, on the night itself, 57% of the audience in Scotland watched the drama of the results unfold on the BBC, significantly more than watched it elsewhere. Ken MacQuarrie Director, BBC Scotland Management Review 2014/15 – Scotland 01 Management Review 2014/15 – Scotland Two minute summary Over the past 10 years, BBC network TV hours in Scotland have increased almost threefold, to 917 hours in 2014, bringing investment, last year, of around £80m into the nation’s creative economy. The Scottish Referendum BBC Two: Horizon Special The week of the Referendum (w/b 15 September) set a new An online diet test to accompany our three part Horizon Special, high in weekly UK unique browsers visiting BBC News Scotland What’s The Right Diet For You?, broadcast in January 2015, was Online. There was a 16% year-on-year increase in the number viewed by 1.2m unique browsers in its first week online and the of browsers accessing our News Online services, with the e-book which accompanied the series has been downloaded average number, each week, rising from 4.1m to 4.7m. more than any other BBC book. 13. 2m number of UK unique 1. 2m browsers, week number of UK unique beginning 15 September browsers in its first week Awards Commonwealth Games The CBeebies drama Katie Morag won two BAFTA Children’s BBC coverage of the 2014 Commonwealth Games reached Awards and a BAFTA Scotland Award for the drama (produced 78% of the Scottish population. In Scotland, TV audiences for by Move on Up) and a UK BAFTA for Katie herself (Cherry the opening and closing ceremonies were the third and fourth Campbell – making her the youngest BAFTA winner ever). highest since 2002, beaten only by those for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics. 3 78% Scottish BAFTA and Commonwealth Games UK BAFTA awards for reach among BBC Katie Morag audiences in Scotland Weekly Reach in Scotland (% by service) 78.3 53.4 17.6 75.6 76.1 52.2 75.0 72.4 72.6 49.9 16.2 15.6 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 BBC One BBC Two BBC ALBA (amongst adult BBC ALBA (amongst 16+ population in Scotland) Gaelic community) Management Review 2014/15 – Scotland 02 Management Review 2014/15 – Scotland Two minute summary BBC Scotland’s local television hours BBC ALBA TV hours Genre News and Current Affairs 189.65 Arts 11.41 Other BBC funded programmes 40.95 Comedy 8.63 Total BBC funded programmes 230.60 Current Affairs 212.21 Partner (MG ALBA) funded programmes 471.41 Drama 52.38 Total hours 702.01 Entertainment 2.32 Repeats 1,916.25 Factual 65.91 Total hours 2,618.26 Factual Entertainment 14.49 Music Performance 17.30 BBC Scotland’s radio hours News & Weather 330.02 BBC Radio Scotland 8,298 Religion/Beliefs 1.59 Repeats 789 Sport 166.19 Total hours 9,087 Total 882.45 BBC Radio nan Gaidheal 3,634 Repeats 95.51 Repeats 1,225 Repeat co-commissions 8.53 Total hours 4,859 Total hours 986.49 BBC Scotland Network radio hours BBC Scotland Network TV hours Originations 562 Originations 917.22* * Calendar year 2014 TV highlights Radio highlights The centenary of the outbreak of the First World War was The eight-part History of Scottish Literature, presented by Billy Kay, marked by programmes on BBC One Scotland, BBC Two traced the story of this distinct Scottish art form, from its origins Scotland and BBC ALBA. As part of a four year long season, in Norse sagas and Celtic myths to gritty modern masterpieces. programmes such as Highlanders’ War and the BBC ALBA Our commitment to music radio was evident, with more than 130 international co-production Clann a Chogaidh Mhoir (Small Hands music sessions broadcast across the year. And comedy was also to in a Big War) were indicative of the range of output produced. the fore, with six new comedy pilots commissioned and broadcast. Radio nan Gaidheal was voted Station of the Year at the 2015 Celtic Media Awards, held this year in Inverness. Online highlights Between 15 and 21 September 2014, BBC News Scotland Online recorded its best ever weekly performance, with 22.6m global browsers (13.2m in the UK). Weekly Reach in Scotland (% by service) 21.9 20.4 20.0 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 BBC Radio Scotland Management Review 2014/15 – Scotland 03 Management Review 2014/15 – Scotland Service performance From extensive coverage of the Scottish Independence Referendum and the Commonwealth Games to award-winning Comedy, Children’s and Factual output, it was another busy year for BBC Scotland’s programme teams. Television On results night, on 18 September, a number of programmes News and current affairs coverage across the year was dominated were broadcast live from Pacific Quay. Glenn Campbell, Brian by the Scottish Independence Referendum and its aftermath. Taylor and Jackie Bird brought BBC One Scotland’s results programme from Studio A, while the network TV results BBC Scotland broadcast more than 25 televised Referendum- programme, with Huw Edwards and Jeremy Vine, simultaneously themed debates and documentaries, on BBC One Scotland, came live from Floors 2, 3 & 4 of the building.